SH Member FYLD amongst latest cohort of HS2 Innovation Accelerator programme

Tech firm amongst 5 companies to be announced in third cohort of HS2 innovation acceleration programme.

Safer Highways member, FYLD have been announced as one of 5 organisations included in the third cohort of the HS2 Innovation Accelerator Programme.

The company delivering Britain’s new high speed rail network took a conscious decision to reach new and diverse thinking by focusing on small digital and data technology firms and building strategic partnerships with diversity-focused entrepreneurial SMEs.

Putting measures in place to champion equality, diversity and inclusion, such as assessing applications blind and anonymously, enabled HS2 to secure a diverse talent pool. As a result, two of the third cohort’s five SMEs have female CEOs or founders, and three have BAME CEOs or founders.

Entering the Accelerator in August, the five firms were chosen to develop techniques for designing carbon out from the railway and to monitor and improve site safety and security. As one of the most sustainable high speed railways in the world, HS2 will support the UK in making the transition to a net zero carbon economy. It has set a commitment to reduce the carbon impact of construction on the project by 50%, as well as delivering low carbon journeys and cutting carbon emissions from other forms of transport.

In becoming a part of the third cohort of the Innovation Accelerator programme, delivered in partnership with Connected Places Catapult and Bruntwood SciTech, FYLD are joined by:

· Looper, who are developing cutting-edge technology that analyses designs to ensure that the plans and materials use the least-carbon intensive options

· MachineMax technology designed to monitor and improve the operating efficiency of worksite plant and machinery. It will identify where assets are working below capacity in order to cut emissions, accelerate works programmes and reduce costs.

· Tended, founded by Leo Scott Smith when he was aged 22, who enter the Innovation Accelerator to develop wearable technology for worksite teams. It works to improve worksite safety practices with a buzz to alert the wearer to a potential risk.

· Sensing Feeling’s solution for de-risking construction sites uses advanced sensing software powered by computer vision and machine learning to detect how people, machines and vehicles behave in real-time.

Speaking about the announcement of the third cohort HS2 Ltd Innovation Manager, Rob Cairns said:

“With the third cohort intake we focused on reaching a diverse range of businesses who we believe can bring fresh thinking and a new perspective to our mission of reducing HS2’s carbon footprint and improving the health and safety of our teams, as well as the security of our worksites.”

Speaking exclusively to Safer Highways Shelley Copsey, the CEO of FYLD, commented on the news that the company has been selected by HS2 Ltd to join its successful Innovation Accelerator programme.

She said: “We have proven the transformational safety and productivity impact of FYLD within the utilities, construction, and highways sectors. We are delighted to now have the opportunity to bring this technology to the rail sector through HS2’s successful Innovation Accelerator programme.

“The rail sector faces similar needs to the industries FYLD was created to support, which includes driving substantial productivity gains and delivering better quality outcomes while improving workforce safety. FYLD empowers frontline workers by making paper-based methods redundant, and collecting observational job data. This allows them to identify risk before it poses harm to field workers, and helps them and their managers prioritise tasks, as well as enhance safety, productivity, sustainability, and quality.

“As an active member of the Safer Highways community, we are delighted that our technology, which is already in use with customers in the transport industry, will now be deployed in the rail sector. The companies partnering with HS2 to deliver one of the most exciting transport projects in Europe have a strong track record of innovation and FYLD looks forward to being part of this story.’’